Re: [Melb] Tram fare cheats get ultimatum

["John Kerley" <deaftech@ozemail.com.au>]

Paul Dwerryhouse <paul+usenet@dwerryhouse.com.au> wrote in message
91ofpi$19b$1@localhost.24hours.nl">news:91ofpi$19b$1@localhost.24hours.nl...
>
> Maybe if they wanted people to buy tickets, they'd make it easier to buy
> them on board. Until that happens, I don't see the general opinion of
> tickets being optional on Melbourne trams changing.
>
> And they could save a fortune on ticket machines and Gestapo if they just
> made public transport free.


I have often thought that it would be economically rational to make at least
metropolitan public transport free and have motorists through extra petrol
tax pay for the extra subsidy that would be needed.

Of course, free public transport already exists in Melbourne to a very
limited degree in the form of the City Circle tram service, but ironically
the only ones who really benefit from this are those who have come into town
by car. Those who have come in by public transport would in most cases have
a zone ticket that is already valid for the city area.

When there is a public transport strike, the benefit of our existing public
transport system to motorists becomes very obvious.  On these days it often
takes motorists an extra hour or more to get to work and an extra hour home.
Indeed the justification for such projects as the City Link tollway was the
time it would save and the monetry value put on this which was something
like $15 per hour if I recall correctly.  In other words, those who at
present use public transport to go to work are saving some motorists over
$30 a day!

Hence to have motorists pay for public transport would be quite an
economically rational thing to do, as well as levelling the playing field.
Those who want the speed and convenience of the car would only have to pay a
relatively small increase in the cost of running it whilst those who use
public transport would get a small reward for the money they are saving
motorists.

If such a system resulted in more people using public transport, the huge
amount of capital at present put into roadways for private cars could be
transferred to the much more cost effective public transport system with
even greater savings for the community.

Unfortunately, the so called economic rationalists are in fact irrational.
Economic rationalism is a euphemism for selfishness, so whilst they enjoy
the public transport user subsidising their car travelling, little change
can be expected.

Cheers,

John Kerley